The whole auditorium stood in a shocked silence. Megumi froze, unsure if she heard the man correctly.
"As the headmaster of this institute, I find it startling that a newcomer like you were even allowed to participate in these exams in the first place. Learning and knowing are two very distinct things. And if you are to be a reaper you should at least have a firmer understanding of this world. And that is I'm failing you."
A silence was ever growing in this room. Megumi shook, still not fully grasping his words. "B… b-but="
"If you truly want to join us, you can try again in the next fifty years. I'm sure by then you'll be more than prepared."
"N-no! I… I… I can't wait. I have to-"
"Silence!" Fallock interrupted. "I will repeat myself. How do you expect to be a reaper, when you still barely know anything about this world? From what I've read you've only been in purgatory for a month and you expect to just join because you wish it!?"
A pit filled Megumi's stomach as she stepped back. She tried to maintain a calmness, but a surge of overwhelming emotions started flooding into her. She gripped her hand and looked to the ground, looking for the words to retort state.
"N-n-no… I-I… I want to join because…I…" Megumi shook. Unable to find the words she wanted.
Sar stepped up, speaking quietly. "Master Fallock. Are you sure about this?"
"Is there a problem?" Fallock questioned.
"I think you might be taking it too far. Even though her knowledge is limited, not just anyone is easily accepted into participating in these events."
"Even so, it's too early for a person as naive as her to become a reaper…"
"I understand your sentiments, But I don't think she'll agree with you on that." Sar said.
Fallock raised a brow and saw as Sar turned his glance up. Fallock followed, and saw a a red haired woman above, watching from the hole Megumi made.
His eyes widened from surprise. "W-what the- What is she doing here?"
With the utmost grace, the red haired woman waved. "Hi Fallock."
Without hesitation, she jumped down from way above and landed with an audible thud onto the stage. Everyone broke out in another flurry of whispers as they saw this woman, now suddenly joining the stage.
Her luster green eyes scanned the room and her luscious lips curled a smile. As Megumi gazed upon her, she could see that the woman before was practically the pinnacle of beauty. She wore a button up white shirt that held her bosom tightly, and had bright blue jeans with tan sandals.
With the attire the woman was wearing, Megumi would've thought she was some kind mother. But there was an unshakeable presence that the woman exuded that told her that she was dangerous.
Fallock quickly regained composure, clearing his throat. "Lilith… It's not often you come to the recruitments. What brings you here today?"
"Oh, I had an old friend stop by with some important news. To be honest I was hoping to talk to you earlier about it but…" Lilith turned her glance to the people watching. "As you can see that didn't happen."
"And me of my. Would you look at that!?" Lilith looked straight at the ceiling with the hole that led outside. "It's not everyday we find someone capable of putting a hole in the academy's roof. Especially the ones that I reinforce…"
At that moment Fallock shook. He hadn't realized it until now, being too distracted with the fact that he was suddenly interrupted. He turned his glance back at Megumi who turtled her neck in shame..
Lilith continued. "It'd be a shame if we just up and fail the person responsible for this, without giving them a fair shot, wouldn't you think? I mean, it's not everyday that we get a new recruit that could break through our buildings. "
It was clear to everyone who was reading between the lines, what she met. Another eruption of indistinct chatter erupted, with some of them referring to Megumi as others continued to question who the woman is.
Fallock bit his lips hearing the chatty group of new recruits. The message to him was clear. Indirect. But clear.
"I suppose it would be a bad idea to fail the one responsible for this too soon…" Fallock gazed squarely at Megumi. "So I'll overlook their short fallings this time… You may go set yourself with everyone else…Megumi…"
Megumi stood frozen. Shocked by the sudden change of heart. She glanced at Lilith, still unsure what to make of her. It seemed that just by her sheer presence alone, that she was able to let Megumi continue.
Fallock scoffed. "We don't have all day, go on."
Sar stepped up to help lead the way for her. It all felt so surreal to her, as she led to her seat. To her surprise she found herself in the presence of Dino once again. She was made to sit down next to him and without anoth word, Sar, left.
He went back to the stage and reconvened with the other grimms. As he did, whispers around Megumi started to become louder.
"Wha…. What was that about?" Megumi questioned quietly.
"I don't know but I think you should consider yourself lucky. Whoever that woman is, She seemed to have saved your skin." Dino felt his head. The pain seemed to still be throbbing after that drop kick he took from Sayko.
A wave of relief washed over her. She quickly searched around to see if she could find Kailey and Sayko. By the looks of it they were placed on their far right.
Kailey caught her glance, and quickly averted her gaze back to the stage. Meanwhile Sayko seems to be using some big guy's head as a place to rest her feet. She also seemed to be watching the stage closely.
A moment later, Fallock raised his hands, gesturing for silence. At once everyone complied.
He narrowed his eyes, took a breath and began to speak.
"I had planned on taking my time to better introduce you all to our creed as purgatory's Reapers. Our goals. Our mission. And what you'd be fighting for if you didn't know already."
Fallock paused for a moment.
"However, today's recruitment day seems to be more special than I anticipated. Not only did a staggering number of you pass the initial test… But it seems that Lillith, the very founder and leader of our society has made her presence known."
Fallock gestured with his hands, introducing Lilith formally. "It is truly an unprecedented event."
Everyone was in shock and awe. The very leader and founder of the reaper corp was in front of them. Pressures are raised, and some people became more bold. While others, more stiff.
Lilith simply smiled and waved at the crowd of new potential recruits.
"This has not happened for the last thousand years. So I would savor the moment. But putting that matter aside, before we can continue any further, we have to put you all through one last test."
The grimms behind Fallock stepped up. Bringing down their hoods one by one. First was Sar. then another beautiful woman. A man with a gruff look. They kept going one by one. It was like a market of one unique person after another.
But as the last person draped off their hood, a familiar face arose, shocking both Megumi and Dino.
"Liang!?" Megumi jumped up. Absolutely flabbergasted.
Liang paid no mind to Megumi, instead he kept looking forward like the other grimms, standing at attention.
For a brief moment, Fallock narrowed his eyes at Megumi, but quickly resumed.
"The men and women that stand before you are some of the best grimm's of the reapers corps for a long time. You can think of them primarily as captains if you want, and it's the second highest rank you can get."
Fallock brought his head in in solemn recognition. "They will be your examiners for this final practical test. Each one will bring you to a different room in this academy where they will personally test you and set the objective of your test."
Fallock looked back into the crowd, with sharpened eyes. "So you all will be failing or passing depending on your examiner and what they're testing for."
Megumi glanced around in the crowd, seeing that some of the people were starting to become overconfident as others started to become concerned.
Megumi however, felt unsure. She glanced back at Liang who was still staring straight ahead with the same confident smile she met him with. "I thought he was a demon hunter. Since when was he a grimm…?"
"Before we begin, we organize you all to your respective examiner…" Fallock glanced at Lilith. "Is there anything you'd like to add, LIllith?"
"Hmm? Oh. Good luck to each and everyone one of you. That is all.." Lilith said.
"Right…" Fallock. Pointed to row on his furthest left. "Each group of seats has already been assigned to each of your grimms. The first group will be going to Filly."
The second woman within the line of grimms held up a piece of paper with the number one. Everyone quickly saw that their group numbers were imprinted on the seats.
Fallock pointed to the second group. "Jesper." He continued on.
"Juno."
"Keith"
Fallock pointed to Megumi's group. "Liang"
"Huh!?"
He continued listing off names, with Sar being the last.
"You are each to follow your examiner to their customly made testing room. Where they will assess your skills. And once you have passed you can return to this auditorium."
With his speech done, Fallock stepped aside with Lilith following him. As she did, several white balls of light flew from her body, reconvening with the grimms that looked at the little sprites curiously.
"If you don't mind, I'd like to watch." Lilith said. Without any complaints from the grimms, Lilith continued on to the side.
One by one the groups of people were led out of the auditorium. Megumi watched as both Kailey and then Sayko left with their own groups, along with that Axen man in Sayko's group. Seeing that he was disoriented, she was confident that he'd probably fail.
"Alright everyone. Stand up and follow me." Liang said.
Megumi became more serious. She gazed at Liang much more intensely. As much as she wanted to question him, she understood that now was not the time.
Like everyone else around her, she and Dino got up and followed behind Liang in a large tight knit group.
They're group was led down the hall the academy. Slowly the stone hall distorted around them and different and strange doors started to make their presence known. Eventually after a while of they reached a weirdly pure green door.
Liang opened the door. "Alright everyone, get inside and I'll join you all once everyone is accounted for."
One after another, people entered in. slowly but surely, the crowd of people in the hall dwindled away in into a room that seemed to have more room than what met the eye. After what seemed like an eternity of waiting, Megumi and Dino were finally able to enter the room themselves. To their shock, they entered into what seemed to be a new world.
"Ho… How is this possible," Megumi muttered.
The whole world around them was full of bright colors. The entire world was that of a child's fantasy world complete with stuffed trees and animals. There were even a lot of colorful balls like from a ball pit.
"Ah~ Excellent. Right down to my complete specifications." Liang said. He entered and closed the door behind him.
Like magic the door warped out of existence, confusing everyone in this new child-like world.
Liang quickly brought his hands to his chin, pondering to himself. "hmm... How did I say it again?"
********
"Are you sure it's alright the Liang handles that women? I hear that that were traveling together to get here." Fallock asked.
Both Fallock and Lilith looked into crystal ball that held the image of Liangs group. Surrounding them were nine other crystals with the other groups exams. some of which had already started.
"There's no need to worry. I already talked to him about this and his reinstatement. Beside we are watching him so I'm sure you'll catch any foul play while watching."
"Hmm... Right... Why did you reinstate him anyways. from what I remember he resigned."
"I made a deal with him. He told my how his powers worked, and I gave him his position back. it was a pretty good deal if you ask me. after all... It's not every day that you find a person that's capable to reflecting attacks back to the attacker."
Fallock simply nodded, agreeing with her sentiments.
********
Liang smiled more devilishly. "Oh yeah..." he looked back to the group of people, conjuring forth his sword. "Welcome to the graveyard where dreams come to die."
"If you want to pass, there's only one thing you have to do..." Liang's smile perked up more. "you have to give me a solid scratch."